Paint brush and solvent container



Sept. 8, 1970 o. M. PEEBLES PAINT BRUSH AND SOLVENT CONTAINER Filed Jan.2, 1969 FIGS FIGI

D. MEADE PEEBLES United States Patent 3,527,341 PAINT BRUSH AND SOLVENTCONTAINER David Meade Peebles, 325 Marcy Ave., Oxon Hill, Md. 20021Filed Jan. 2, 1969, Ser. No. 788,572 Int. Cl. A45d 44/18 US. Cl. 206-1521 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A container and supporting means forone or more paint brushes and a quantity of liquid solvent within whichthe brush bristles are immersed. The container is liquid tight andlimits evaporation of solvent and is formed in two sections having aseal between them to allow ready separation as where paint brusheshaving different paint coloring thereon are to be received.

Solvent containers with means to support paint brushes are known in theprior art but such devices tend to be too costly to justify their wideacceptance by the public. Additionally, a prime difficulty with theprior art brush soaking containers resides in the fact that the entirecontainer must be cleaned out and flushed whenever a different colorpaint is encountered on a brush or brushes. That is to say, where whitepaint is being used, the painter does not wish to immerse the brush intoa bath of solvent contaminated with paint of another color. The presentinvention has, as a major feature of improvement over the prior art, theability to convert quickly to a fresh bath of clean solvent by simpleremoval of the upper section of the container and rescaling the same toanother lower section containing the fresh solvent. Other advantages ofthe invention will appear during the course of the followingdescription.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a central vertical sectionthrough a solvent container and brush supporting means embodying theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the sup porting means.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section through a modified form of theinvention.

FIG. 4 is a similar view of a further modified form.

FIG. 5 is a similar view of still another modification.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings indetail, wherein like numerals designate like parts, the numeral in FIG.1 designates a lower can body, such as a coffee can, from which the lidhas been removed. Above the can body 10 is a coacting similar can body11 having its bottom 12 disposed upwardly and being downwardly open. Theopposed open ends of the two can bodies are joined by a resilientliquid-tight seal ring or gasket 13 having sealing grooves 14 receivingthe opposed open ends of the two can bodies snugly and releasably. Thegasket 13 supports the upper can body 11 and also forms an effectiveseal or joint so that liquid will not escape from the compositecontainer.

The lower can body 10 receives a quantity of paint solvent 15 withinwhich the bristles of paint brushes are immersed for cleaning and/orpreventing hardening of the paint while the brushes are idle.

A supporting means for one or more brushes is pro vided for use withinthe two part container and this means may comprise a pair of paintstirring paddles 16 or like elements connected in spaced relation neartheir "ice tops and bottoms by rigid bolt means 17 and 18. The upperbolt means 17 is provided between the two paddles 16 with wire hangerelements 19 for one or two paint brushes 20, one such brush being shownsuspended in the solvent 15 in FIG. 1.

Additional spaced openings 21 are formed through the paddle elements 16to receive hanger pins or bolts 22 or the like at various elevations onthe support structure so that an additional brush 23 or plural brushesmay be suspended in the solvent 15, as shown in FIG. 1.

The supporting unit composed of the connected paddles 16 may be placedloosely within the container and simply rests on the bottom 24 of thelower container body. If the support structure tilts from the verticalwithin the container, no harm will be done. In some instances, thesupport may include only a single paddle element 16 with paint brushsupporting pins, hooks or the like anchored at selected elevations inthe various openings 21. In either case, brushes of differing size maybe suspended at proper elevations so that their bristles are totallyimmersed in the solvent but without touching the bottom of the containerwhere sediment collects.

When it is desired to utilize a fresh solvent bath, the upper containerbody 11 and seal 13 may be removed and transferred to another lower canbody containing fresh solvent. In this way, there is no necessity forcompletely cleaning and flushing the entire apparatus and theinexpensive food cans used for the lower can body 10 may be discardedwith the dirty solvent.

FIG. 3 shows a modification embodying the same lower can body 10 withliquid solvent 15 and seal or gasket 13. The upper can body 25 has aremovable cover 26 preferably having a gasket or seal 27 for snugengagement over the body 25 which is tubular and open-ended. Thesupporting structure involving the paddles 16 may be omitted and insteadseveral suspension hooks 28 are anchored suitably to the cover 26. Theelements 25 and 26 may be formed of metal or plastic. If metal isemployed, the suspension hooks 28 may be welded or soldered to the cover26. If plastic is employed, the hooks may be secured by screw-threadedmeans. FIG. 3 shows paint brushes 29 suspended from the hooks 28 withtheir bristles immersed in the solvent 15. The same basic advantagespresent in the previous embodiment are also present in the modification.

FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment employing the lower can body 10,previously described, and an upper cover section 30 formed of plastic orrubber-like material having a sealing flange 31 at its lower end snuglyand releasably engaging the upper rim of the can body as shown. Thepaint brush support unit described in connection with FIG. 1 composed ofthe paddle elements 16 may be used in the embodiment of FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 shows only a slight modification of the FIG. 4 embodiment whereinthe upper container section 30, similar to the cover section 30, alsohas a removable cap 32 having brush suspension books 33 suitablyanchored thereto for supporting paint brushes. In all other respects,the constructions in FIGS. 4 and 5 may be identical.

The advantages and features of the invention in its various forms shouldnow appear readily to those skilled in the art without the necessity offurther description.

It is to be understood that the forms of the invention herewith shownand described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, andthat various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scopeof the subjoined claim.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for maintaining paint brushes in a clean and supplecondition comprising upper and lower opposed container sections, asealing ring detachably and sealingly engaging the opposed open ends ofsaid upper and lower sections, the lower container section adapted tohold a quantity of liquid solvent, and supporting means for at least apaint brush within the apparatus and engaging the brush so that thebristles thereof are immersed in the solvent While the brush ismaintained spaced from all walls of the container sections, saidsupporting means comprising a separately formed brush supporting memberloosely disposed within the upper and lower container sections andextending for the major portion of the height of both assembledsections, and plural elevation brush suspension elements on said brushsupporting member, said member comprising a pair of laterally spacedgenerally parallel elongated elements, transverse connecting means forsaid elements unitizing them, and said brush suspension elements beingadjustable on said elongated elements.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES 4/ 1925 GreatBritain. 11/1909 France.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner J. M. CASKIE, Assistant Examiner

